By: Michael Hamlyn - Business Iafrica.om
South Africa is ranked fifth out of 53 African countries in the Mo Ibrahim index of governance. Southern Africa as a region comes out top of the regional list – despite the disadvantage of having Zimbabwe and Swaziland among its members.
Six of the top ten countries in the continental list are from southern Africa. They are Mauritius, the Seychelles, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Lesotho.
The index measures 84 criteria, and groups them into four main pillars – safety and the rule of law, participation and human rights, sustainable economic opportunity and human development (which includes health and education).
The index for 2009 was launched at the University of Cape Town on Monday by Mo Ibrahim, a cell phone tycoon, accompanied by Mamphela Ramphele, the former vice-chancellor of the University, Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and Salim Salim former head of the Organisation of African Unity.
Also present were two former presidents of Botswana, Festus Mogae and Quett Masire.
This was the third annual presentation of the index, and the production of the list was itself not without drama. For the past two years the research has been supervised and largely provided by the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. This time the process has been indigenised, and the research is largely based on African sources.
However the researchers at Harvard, were plainly not happy with this process, and Professor Robert Rotberg, the head of the team produced his own index, blaming Mo Ibrahim for wanting to interfere with the editorial procedure – this allegation was firmly denied by Mary Robinson, who testified to the purity of Ibrahim's actions.
Harvard University also sent a letter to Mo Ibrahim distancing itself from the index produced by Rotberg.
Ibrahim complained at the media briefing where his index was launched that the quality of data available in Africa was inadequate for many purposes. Many countries simply did not have an office for statistics, and so there are virtually no figures available for the extent of poverty in the continent. "How can you say whether you have halved poverty (as the Millennium Development Goals aim to do). Half of what?" he asked.
Even Stats SA did not escape criticism on this point. Mamphela Ramphele said that the household survey carried out by Stats SA was not adequate. She also called for better analysis to be done.
In addition to producing the index Ibrahim also gives $5-million for a prize awarded to a former African leader who has left office according to the country's constitution. The prize recognises and rewards "excellence in African leadership".
Previous recipients have been Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique and Festus Mogae of Botswana. This year's will be announced in two weeks' time.